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Sarah Odell McGinnis Cooper

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Sarah Odell McGinnis Cooper

Birth	:	4 Feb 1907
Death	:	2 Mar 1989 Versailles, Morgan County, Missouri, USA
Burial	:	The Gardens Cemetery, West Roxbury, Suffolk County, USA
Coordinate	:	42.2870580, -71.1793360
Plot	:	2nd - 15 - 25
Description	:	MAN ELECTROCUTED; WIFE CRITICALLY BURNED Robert E. Cooper is dead, his wife critically burned and a patient at Bothwell Hospital in Sedalia and the man's sister suffered severe hand burns and a head laceration when she attempted to assist the pair after their car had come n contact with a high voltage wire which was draped across Route in, southeast of Versailles near the old Coal Bank Road, during the early morning hours. Dead is Robert E. Cooper, retired Rock Island maintenance employee, who with Mrs. Cooper had gone to the home of his sister, Mrs.Mollie Wood, and Jewell... Read More	MAN ELECTROCUTED; WIFE CRITICALLY BURNED Robert E. Cooper is dead, his wife critically burned and a patient at Bothwell Hospital in Sedalia and the man's sister suffered severe hand burns and a head laceration when she attempted to assist the pair after their car had come n contact with a high voltage wire which was draped across Route in, southeast of Versailles near the old Coal Bank Road, during the early morning hours. Dead is Robert E. Cooper, retired Rock Island maintenance employee, who with Mrs. Cooper had gone to the home of his sister, Mrs.Mollie Wood, and Jewell Williams, 10 miles southeast of Versailles Wednesday night, April 17, for a visit. They arrived about 7 o'clock in the evening. According to Jewell Williams, who testified at a coroners inquest here Monday afternoon. Mr. & Mrs. Cooper left the Woods/Williams home about 12:30 or 12:45 Thursday morning. Due to the heavy rain that evening and the dense fog which made visibility very bad, the Coopers decided to return to Versailles through Barnett, thus avoiding any possibility of getting tied up by high water in the creeks between the Woods home and Versailles. Mr. Williams said that shortly after the Coopers left their home he and Mrs. Woods prepared for bed, but that in a very short time, they heard the sound of a car horn. When the horn continued to blow, they sensed trouble. Both dressed and went down the road toward the sound of the horn. A short distance from their home Mr. Willams and Mrs Woods found the Cooper car, a 1950 Chevrolet Tudor standing by the side of the road. Mr. Cooper was lying on the ground, with his feet under the running board of the car and his head in the ditch. Mrs. Cooper was standing in the road Mr. Williams said Mr. Cooper was not dead when he arrived on the scene and that Cooper told him he was cold. Williams rolled up a leather jacket and placed it under Cooper's head Williams said the 7200 Volt line was still hot at the time because he saw the arc when the line either flopped against the car or ground. All Mrs. Cooper said, Mr. Williams testified was "Bob's dead". Wray McKinley, another witness at Monday's inquest, said he was awakened about 2:25 a.m.Tuesday morning by Glen Gardner, a neighbor, who wanted to use his telephone to call for an ambulance and a doctor. The McKinley phone was used also to call Union Electric to tell them of the downed lines. Going to the scene of the accident, Mr. McKINLEY said Mrs. Cooper was sitting in the car at that time. He said he did not see Mr. Cooper but presumed he was lying on the other side of the car, where his body remained until the dangers of rescuers coming into contact with the hot line had been eliminated. Mr. McKinley said that shortly after he arrived, Mrs. Mollie Woods came in contact with the wire or ground. She suffered severe burns and a laceration of her head. She was treated at the Gunn Clinic and released. Willard Stephens, Eldon, trouble shooter for Union Electric, said he and a helper restored the wire to its proper place. He voiced the opinion that a direct lightning strike had caused the line to break away from the pole. He did not say he saw any damage to the pole, but testified he could "smell" the lightning. The last witness was Sheriff J.T. Hull, whose testimony followed the same line as those who preceded him to the stand. The inquest was conducted by Gene N. Bartram, coroner, assisted by prosecuting attorney Wiliam G. Johnson. Members of the jury were Hugh Hart, Sam Guenther, Jim Frye, Dave White, I.A. Wenger and Jess Nobles. Atty. Harry Kay observed the proceedings for Union Electric. Atty. Thomas G. Woolsey was an observer for the Cooper family. The verdict was that Cooper died of electrocution. Previous to the inquest, the jurors had been taken to the scene of the accident and had viewed the body at the Kidwell Funeral Home. Mr. Gardner said when he arrived at the scene the hot wire was clearing the car by only 3 or 4 inches and was about 18 inches off the ground. Raymond Garber, driving an ambulance for Kidwell's said when he arrived at the scene Cooper was lying with his feet under the front of the car and that Mrs. Cooper was lying on the ground about 10 feet away. Mrs. Mollie Woods was also lying in the road. Mrs. Cooper was taken to Bothwell Hospital in Sedalia. Dr. Jack Gunn, who went with the ambulance said from all indications Cooper was dead when he arrived. Mrs. Cooper, Dr. Gunn testified, had severe burns on both hands, face, scalp and chest. Trooper Donald Slavens said he arrived at the scene of the tragedy about 4 a.m. and at that time Cooper's body was still lying in the same position described by previous witnesses. Trooper Slavin said the left front tire of the Cooper car was flat and had a big hole burned in it. Pieces of an insulator from the power line pole wee picked up at the scene. The pole from which the power line had fallen was said to have been located about 75 yards from where the Cooper car stopped. W. Bruce James, Rt 3, Eldon, engineer for Union Electric said he received the trouble call about 2:50 a.m. He alerted the company's trouble shooter and then drove to the scene of the accident. He said when he arrived, the power line was still down in the road and was about an inch away from the car. James said he could not see any damage to the pole, although he admitted he did not climb the pole to see if any damage had been done to the top, perhaps by a bolt of lightning. (note..Mrs. Cooper was the former Miss Sarah McGinnis). (note..Daughter of David Newton & Annie (Purl) McGinnis).

frequently asked questions (FAQ):

Where is Sarah Odell McGinnis Cooper's memorial?
Sarah Odell McGinnis Cooper's memorial is located at: The Gardens Cemetery, West Roxbury, Suffolk County, USA.
When did Sarah Odell McGinnis Cooper death?
Sarah Odell McGinnis Cooper death on 2 Mar 1989 in Versailles, Morgan County, Missouri, USA
Where are the coordinates of the Sarah Odell McGinnis Cooper's memorial?
Latitude: 42.2870580
Longitude: -71.1793360

Family Members:

Parent

David Newton McGinnis

(1883 - 1977)

Anna Jane “Annie” Purl McGinnis

(1883 - 1926)

Spouse

Robert Ezra Cooper

(1893 - 1956)

Siblings

Bertha Mae McGinnis Wood

(1903 - 1933)

Ferdinand Oliver McGinnis

(1905 - 1972)

Carrie Katherine McGinnis Davenport

(1909 - 1946)

Belle Kunzler

(1912 - 1931)

Charley W McGinnis

(1918 - 1968)

Claude Edward McGinnis

(1921 - 1993)

Flowers:

Left by Anonymous on 17 Mar 2012

Left by Anonymous on 08 Jun 2013

Nearby Cemetories:

1. The Gardens Cemetery
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Coordinate: 42.2870580, -71.1793360

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13. Quincy Hebrew Cemetery
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14. Kaminker Cemetery
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Coordinate: 42.2885900, -71.1830800

15. David Vicur Cholim Cemetery
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Coordinate: 42.2892900, -71.1823700

16. Staro Konstantinov Cemetery
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22. Olita Cemetery
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Coordinate: 42.2878900, -71.1836900

23. Or Emet Cemetery
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